The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Allow export of non-strategic defence systems: DRDO

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Allow export of non-strategic defence systems: DRDO

Expansion of partnership to other countries favoured

Collaborative research with other countries mooted
250 cr. earmarked for “innovative research” this year

HYDERABAD: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has requested the Government to permit the export of defence systems which are not “strategically sensitive”, including missiles like ‘Akash’, ‘Nag’, tanks, guns and bridges.

Disclosing this on the sidelines of a national seminar on “Emerging trends in manufacturing systems and technology” here on Monday, Prahlada, Chief Controller (R&D), DRDO, told The Hindu that “all defence syste ms should be allowed to be exported unless they are strategically sensitive.”

Referring to the Indo-Russian collaboration in development of missiles, he said DRDO wanted the partnership expanded to other countries, including the UK, US, France, Germany and Israel for “all tactical missiles” such as air-to-air/surface-to-air systems. It was looking for collaborative research with several countries for developing technologies and products like the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The other areas include material science, intelligent control systems, aerodynamics for next generation of aircraft and nanotechnology.

He said the DRDO had earmarked Rs.250 crore this year for conducting “innovative research.”

Key trend

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Prahlada said trade and investment barriers were disappearing and national economies were merging with inter-dependent global economy. In his inaugural address, Finance Minister K. Rosaiah said that after the initiation of liberalisation in 1991, the period from April to December 2006 witnessed one of the highest industrial growth rates.

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